


The Assassin's Father.

by Redandblackassassin



Category: Study Series - Maria V. Snyder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2017-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-13 08:05:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11755563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redandblackassassin/pseuds/Redandblackassassin
Summary: This is a short one shot which takes place before the Takeover of Ixia, when Valek was twelve. Proir to Poison Study.





	The Assassin's Father.

 

Kalen was working by his desk in the tannery, dying leather. His pale hands were stained brown, as well as his dark green tunic. He stopped when he heard light footsteps approach him, and he glanced up to see an ebony-haired boy.

He recognized him instantly, his youngest son.

“Valek,” Kalen greeted with a small dip of his head. He, in return, got a quiet ‘hi.’

The boy looked lost, bored, even. He looked at his father carefully, those blue eyes bright against his pale skin.

“Why are you not out with the others?” He carefully asked.

“Because they’re all assholes.”

“ _Valek_.”

His son merely shrugged, and Kalen sighed.

“Are you avoiding mother? Ruined another one of her white sheets?” Kalen teased, grinning, remembering the look on his wife’s face when she saw her freshly washed sheets over her son’s heads. They had chased each other around the garden, pretending they were ghosts. Ultimately, it ended up with the three eldest tackling the youngest to the ground with a small scream. The white sheets ended up brown, as did the boy’s pale skin. They all needed thorough baths that night, much to their utter devastation. Olya went on about how much soap they used, and how fast they were running out. They could barely afford to feed their four boisterous sons, never mind themselves. And taxes were due in three weeks…

“No.”

“Broken a vase?” Kalen quirked a brow.

“No.”

“Annoyed one of your brothers?”

“ _No_.”

His dark brows furrowed as he lightly touched his son’s pale -but slightly reddened from the cold- nose. “Then what _did_ you do?” As expected, the young boy ducked away and crinkled his nose. He placed a hand over his heart. “Such trust you have in me, father,” he said, peeved. “I didn’t do anything.” His voice was perfectly Ixian. He was perfectly Ixian, with pale skin and dark hair.

Kalen snorted. “I _totally_ believe that, son,” he mused, but dragged a chair closer anyways. The boy sat down carefully -delicately- like a timid kitten. He seemed the opposite to his brothers, who were rough and spontaneous. Though, he were just as mischievous; helping his brothers trick Kalen daily. He realised that where Vincent, Victor and Villiam were quick with their heavy actions, Valek was the opposite. He was quiet and calculated. Kalen realised that a tanner wouldn’t be the best job for him, but something more…dangerous. Valek crossed his arms on the dark wooded table and leaned his head on them, letting his ebony curls spill over his forehead like liquid. That feature -dark hair- was from himself, but the bright sapphire eyes were from Oyla. He often wondered if he would develop magic as he reached puberty, which would be in two weeks on his thirteenth birthday. The last person in the family who’d possessed magic was his mother; Valek’s grandmother. She had the ability to heal, and could weave sapphire wisps of magic. He’d never asked Valek whether he’d want magic or not, though, he’d shown no signs of having it.

“I’m bored.” His son’s quiet voice broke through the silence. Kalen gave him an amused smile.

“How could you be bored with three older brothers? I’m shocked that they are letting you have a moments peace,” Kalen said. The adolescent simply shrugged. He wasn’t the talkative type, Kalen discovered. The tanner thought of something that his son would respond to.

“What would you like for your birthday?” He eventually said. Valek looked up at him, thinking, before lowering his head back onto his crossed arms.

“I don’t know,” He said quietly. Kalen continued with the leather, mumbling ideas. “Books? I know that you like to read. Or a journal? You could write your thoughts in them,” he suggested. He knew that the young boy had thoughts. Many thoughts that he simply kept to himself.

“Hmm…maybe,” the boy eventually said. Valek twisted a curl of black hair around his finger, watching in amusement as the curl sprung back. He remained silent, and Kalen let it continue for another few minutes as he worked. “You know,” he mused. “Talking usually involves two peop- “

“We’re going to go hungry for a while, aren’t we?”

Kalen’s eyes widened in shock, and he set down the dye. “What?”

Blue eyes lazily took in his expression. “You heard me.”

The tanner thought for a moment, deciding whether he should just tell his son the truth. “You know business isn’t the best right now, Valek, but it’ll be okay. I can handle this.”

Valek sighed. “You completely avoided the question, father.”

“Because you don’t need to know the truth.” Thin brows furrowed.

“Why not? You tell the others the truth.”

“Because they are older, Val- “

“But I could help! I could find a job or something, or…or I could help you here. Maybe we could earn more money that wa- “

“Valek, _enough_. Let me and your mother worry about this,” Kalen said, annoyance lacing his voice. His son glared at him for a few moments, before backing down and relaxing against the chair.

“A journal would be nice,” he said quietly, glancing up into the brown eyes of his father.

Kalen’s mood perked up, and he began to get back to work.

“Black or brown?”

“I’ll let you decide that.”

Kalen turned to smile at his son, and got a smile in return.

“You know, if you’re _so_ bored,  you could help me clean out the acid vat,” the tanner chirped, grinning smugly at the boy. Valek’s sapphire eyes widened, and he bolted out of the room before Kalen could say ‘snow cat.’ The tanner laughed, and simply got back to his work.

**Who knew that his son would become the most infamous assassin of Ixia _and_ Sitia?**

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing anything Poison Study related that I’ve posted and, since the fandom is so small, I decided to write a little about Valek as a teenager. 
> 
> I’m currently working on both The ‘Shattered King’ and my modern Manorian. So, hopefully, both will be updated soon.


End file.
